Ooo LG, I hope your eternal spring blooms this year! Fingers crossed the weather is kinder this year. It seems like everyone's getting a lot of really nice ones.

Thanks Zellycat. I'll remember to post photos if it blooms.

Top, I bought this one from Charmarron in 2014, but can't remember if it was one of hers that wasn't true to name. I'll look in the garden tomorrow.

Top, Hidden Springs has Lafayette Escadrille, a red itoh, for $30. I really like this plant.

graycrna4u said:Top, Hidden Springs has Lafayette Escadrille, a red itoh, for $30. I really like this plant.

Thank you, Gary! If I form an order from Hidden Springs, I will try to include it.

Top

I'm looking at the catalog at Hidden Hills , they had Blonde Vision, but it's sold out. Their prices are generally pretty high even for the cheap peony varieties. I'm enjoying looking at the catalog though.

I am going small this year until I see how the peonies I planted last year do in the spring. I got Hermione (to replace my lost transplant) and Red Satin from Adelman's. I have been eyeing Red Satin as a beautiful and pleasantly smelling red.

I like Red Satin too, but I'm waiting for a sale from Alderman's.

Here, peony Red Satin has been disappointing. Smaller blooms and rather short. Of course, plant performance can vary so much by climate, as well as location within a yard. I saw varieties at Adelman's that look and perform differently here. Can anyone comment on Door County Sunset--I mean, not just performance, but how compelling the bloom is?

Personally I have not found 'Door County Sunset' to be all that great of a performer here anyway. I have some seedlings near it that have thrived, so I can't necessarily blame the location. I have gotten a couple flowers a year and I think I've had it for 4 or 5 years now. It wouldn't be one I would buy again and some years I wonder if it should move out to make room for something else. Someone else might have a better report though.

Bummer to hear that about DCS - I just planted it this past fall. Looking back at my notes, I wish I'd purchased Copper King instead - but it's not available this year. I'd asked Nate and he'd said Copper King was a fast grower with lots of flowers and "Door County Sunset has a similar color scheme, but not as bright." I had also dug up a tidbit from a PDF of a lecture (or somewhere) that the full plant pic of DCS was from a rare winter that didn't get below 15°, so it had more flowers. It looks so pretty though so I hope ours all find their groove. (As a side note he was recommending CK for more flowers over Teresa Ann and Manchurian Promise.)

I planted DCS last fall. I also planted Copper King. So hopefully I can report on their performance, but I don't know how applicable it will be to those of you in colder zones. I got Teresa Ann because of Tracey's beautiful photos of it.

When I was picking woodies to order this year, I chose a couple because in the description it said something about it may do better or get larger in a warm zone.

Nate is such a great resource, and very generous with his time. I am glad he has been giving you these insights Zellycat, and thank you for sharing them with us.

He's really astonishing - I have no idea how he answers email so quickly! I suspect mine won't do that well - it only gets 4 hours of direct sun, in the afternoon. (I have very little full sun and the itohs took that spot.)

Does anyone have Wild Forest Blackberry?

Just ordered from peonyusa. :
Angel Cheeks
Lemon Chiffon
Hillary
Julia Rose

Now I am waiting to see what the locals offer this year.

I'm grateful for all the comments here regarding peonies.
Caroline, I looked at PeonyUSA and they were sold out on most of them, maybe I was too early, I'll look again.

The shipping cost was the price of the peonies so I backed out, what a shame. I save the excitement for next year. I think I have enough this year.

Folks, it's great to see your enthusiasm Oh, how I wish to join the party, but unfortunately, no more room in my garden

Exciting Caroline. I love Hillary, it fades very prettily.

I love the PeonyUSA site, that's where I got my information for fragrant ratings, I had Old Faithfull, Angel Cheeks, and White Ivory on my cart. I wil l try to buy an individual peony of these varieties somehow in the future.

Finally committed to Early Glow and Fadeaway from Solaris. I've always wanted a fernleaf but my soil is heavy clay so I've held off. Fadeaway sounds like the perfect option for me. Now waiting for spring 2023! Fernleafs are so lovely as they pop up; excited to have my own!

HiyaMakki,
You have ordered some beauties. Can't wait to see them.
Boy I know what ya mean. I have hard pack clay soil too. I built up beds added several inches of mushroom compost. It's a good star for any plant.
All my beds are done the same way. Otherwise I needed a jack hammer to dig a single hole ,